Cruise, Day 13

While the wind had abated, it was still northerly and water hadn’t yet started to flood back into the bay. Low tide was just after 1000, so the earlier I could get underway, the better my chance would be of getting over the shallow section of the entrance channel. Getting underway with half-tide would be sufficient, I hoped. 
We were underway at 0740 under power to clear the creek. We cleared the creek channel without incident, and full sail was set as soon as we cleared the entrance light. We sailed west across the bay. The restricted area from Aberdeen runs south along the western half of the bay and swings around the south end of Poole’s Island, then runs northwest toward the entrance to Seneca Creek. As had seemed to be the habit, the wind didn’t hold, but as luck would have it for once, by the time we had to start the engine, we were at the entrance to Seneca Creek.

While heading up the Seneca, you’re aiming right for the twin red and white stacks that are visible from the bay miles away. Having rushed to get out of Fairlee, I hadn’t had breakfast and was ready for something to eat. When we reached the head of Seneca at 1140, we dropped the anchor and made lunch.
While having lunch the breeze had returned to tempt us again, so I sailed out the anchor at 1235 and headed back south for Middle River. There are several branches that run off the Middle, the first being Galloway Creek. There’s a large marina right inside Bowley Point, and with this being Sunday, there was a good bit of traffic moving about, including a small fleet that was apparently running a race. We sailed around the perimeter of the creek and headed north for Frog Mortar Creek.
The runway of Martin State Airport begins right on the west shoreline of Frog Mortar, so they urge watching for approaching aircraft, and if the mast is more than 37-feet, ask that you contact the airport control tower before sailing past the end of the runway. As I sailed in, the area around the end of the runway was covered with emergency vehicles, all with their emergency lights going. If a plane was coming in for an emergency landing, I wasn’t about to interfere, so just before reaching the end of the runway, I came about, sailed out and ran up into Stansbury Creek. From there we gunkholed Dark Head Creek, Hopkins Creek, Norman Creek, and Hogpen Creek. With the sun rapidly settling into the west, we ran into Sue Creek and past the huge Baltimore Yacht Club at the entrance. There are three fingers that cut into the north shore of Sue Creek, and we anchored at the mouth of the middle finger.  It was a very nice spot, and we got to watch the full moon rise as we again enjoyed dinner in the cockpit.